146 HATUBAL HISTOET OF 



this receptacle they are left to swim about till they 

 are hatched. 



BRACHELYTRA. 



The insects belonging to the second great family 

 of the Coleoptera with five joints in each foot, form 

 a well-defined group, readily distinguishable from 

 their associates by their peculiar aspect. The body 

 is narrow and elongated, and in its general form 

 bears considerable resemblance to that of the Ear- 

 wig. The elytra are so short that they seldom 

 cover more than the base of the abdomen ; a cha- 

 racter which has caused the family to be distinguished 

 by the name Brachelytra.* This peculiarity in 

 the form of the wing-cases is obviously designed to 

 render the body more flexible, by removing every 

 obstacle to the motions of the abdomen. That part ac- 

 cordingly possesses a great degree of suppleness, and 

 is capable of being inflected in almost every direc- 

 tion. When the animal is alarmed, or repelling the 

 attack of an assailant, it bends the abdomen forwards 

 over its back, and protrudes two conical vesicles 

 from the extremity, which in certain species emit a 

 strong scent of sulphuric ether. While in this at- 

 titude, the jaws are usually kept extended to their 

 utmost stretch, by which the appearance of the 

 larger kinds is rendered sufficiently formidable to 



* From /Sg«e^ur short> and sAj/rgov, a wing-case. 



